BS 8546 : 2016 | Travel adaptors compatible with UK plug and socket system - Specification

Travel adaptors are now widely available on the high street and a familiar item in luggage, so a Standard is needed to ensure robust manufacture and safety to the user.

BS 8546 was developed to provide specifications for the design and manufacture of travel adaptors having at least one plug or socket outlet portion and to be compatible with the various Standards in the series of BS 1363 - UK plugs and sockets outlets.

In the market, there are plenty of different configuration travel adaptors, e.g. with folding plug pins, sliding plug pins and multi-sockets type etc., and most of them are not complied with required National Standards according to The Regulation, even a test certificate can be provided by the producer, but this certificate may be irrelevant or meaningless, as the test laboratory issued this certificate has not been accredited by either UKAS or CNAS etc. of their testing on travel adaptors, that is, their Schedule/Scope of Accreditation issued by UKAS or CNAS or others has not covered their travel adaptors testing.

Their test equipment, test procedures, training of their testing staff nor Test Standard understanding etc. has not been accredited by any National Accreditation Bodies or simply say - not being assessed by any qualified third party. These test laboratories are not only the China based laboratories, even some of the world recognized test laboratories, they also do not follow the rule of the game to proceed their travel adaptor testing for their customers, and issuing the Passed Test Certificate to them, and not wait for their testing ability being proof to be satisfactory. This kind of Test Certificate or simply cheating behaviour/certificate is not acceptable by the Regulator, as there is an EU Regulation 765/2008 for Accreditation and Market Surveillance (RAMS) being enforced, also negotiations for a replacement of RAMS (EU Regulation 765/2008), "RAMS2" are currently under way. In the UK, this EU Regulation has been adopted, and 2009 No. 3155 Market Standards or The Accreditation Regulation 2009 is the equivalent UK Regulation being implemented. 

Because of this, Recall being taken place, there has been over 50 travel adaptors have appeared on the Rapid Alert System for non-food dangerous products (RAPEX) in the past years, including some of them incorporate electronic circuitry such as USB charging ports. This is due, in part, to the rapidly expanding complexity of travel adaptors (such as the co-called universal travel adaptor with multiple plug and socket interfaces), the unique and particular hazards of which are not being taken into account by producers, and not adequately dealt with by existing British and European Standards. It is anticipated that the New BS8546:2016 will deal with many, if not all, of the safety issues commonly seen in PAPEX listings.

As we are the Expert of the UK plugs and travel adatpors, years experience on manufacturing and testing of wall socket mounted products, all our travel adaptors has been complied with updated National Standards, e.g. BS8546 etc., through the accredited test laboratory. Our quality of travel adaptors are widely accepted by most of the UK Chain Stores and World famous Brands. 

Please contact us and tell us your needs!

Contact Us! Ms Twegy >... The Expert of UK Plugs and Worldwide Travel Adaptors!

More details of EU Regulation 765/2008
Here is from EUr-Lex - Access to European Union Law >...